Note-sheet winding mechanism for player pianos



Dec. 19 1922. 1,439,156 s L. FISHER.

NOTE SHEET WNDING MECHANISM FOR PLAYER PIANOS. FILED SEPT. 28 1918.

6 SHEETS SHEET 1 3511 Gm: n21;

Dec. 19 1922.

PIANOS, FILED SEPT 28 191 8 6 SHEETSSHEET 2 Dec. 19 1922. 1,439,156

' s. L. FISHER.

NOTE SHEET WINDING MECHANISM FOR PLAYER PIANOS FILED SEPT. 28. 1918.

6 SHEETS-SHEET 3 Dec. 19 1922.

S. L. FISHER NOTE SHEET WINDING MECHANISM FOR PLAYER PIANOS.

Fl LED SEPT. 28. 191 8 6 SHEETSSHEET 4 Dec. 19 1922.

1,439,156 S. L. FISHER, NOTE SHEET WINDING MECHANISM FOR PLAYER PIANOS. FILED SEPT. 28. 1918.

6 SHEETS SHEET 5 Dec. 19 1922. 1,439,156 S- L. F SHER. NOTE SHEET Wmume MECHANISM FOR PLAYER PIANOS. FILED SEPT- ZB. I918.

6 swears-sneer 6 m JTZAaY attouwq ti t-dented Dec. 19, 1922.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

STANLEY L. FISHER, OF CHESTER, CONNECTICUT, ASSIGNOB TO THE PRATT READ E'LAYER ACTION COMPANY, OF DEEP RIVER, CONNECTICUT, A CORPORATION OF CONNECTICUT.

NOTE-SHEET WINDING'MECHANISM FOR PLAYER PIANOS.

Application filed September 28, 1918. Serial No. 256,066.

1 o all HllU'H it may concern:

Be it ion "in that I, SI..\NLE IY L. Fisunn a subject oi tc King of Great Britain, residing; in (1h "a, county of hfliddlescx. State otConnecticut have invcntedcertain new and use Improvements in Note-Sheet i l inciting illechanisin for Player Pianos, of hich the toilowing is a full, clear. and exact description. I

This invention relates to note sheet winding mechanism for player pianos and the 1? 'e, and it has particular reference to rneans tor controlling the position of the note sheet on the l: 1 a! spool when the piano is being played, hat the sheet will he wound properly on said spool.

it has hceu customary in the past to provide the take-up spool with niovahle end llangrcs. shittahle into engagement with the respective side Pd jQS ol the sheet utter a tow layers hare hecn wound on the latter, to insure a i and orderly wirnling of the paper on the ol which is obviously a'great advant .Y' winding; the sheet on a music roll proper y after playing has ceased. In devices oi t is character, ho .XQTCJ). the necessity o't moving the flanges has been a disadvantage. and dilliculty has been encountered in exerting: than the required pressure on the note sheet eds-11:1 the proper time.

(inc 0 the primary ohiects ot my present inrentirm i to overcome these detects of prio den and to lurnish an improved note sheet '\"-.'lll(ll11f mechanism in which a sui m;- pressure means is adapted to act on tree inovahle flanges separate therefrom, in such a manner as to hrino' the required pressure against the note sheet edges at the right time. illorc p'ai'liculaily it aimed to pro- \ido a device wherein the flanges are under irions held lightly against the i' l'lllzll Pond edges of the f-iilQQll hy gravity, or otherwise,

the llwges living freely movable away from each of :r durunr the preluiunary winding in is at on the spool, which offer sufficient resistance to the pressure means to prevent the crushing. or crumpling of the sheet edges. In my device, it is unnecessary to provide special means for holding the flanges normally out of contact with the sheet. and it is also on necessary to provide a special operating device for shifting the flanges bodily, the requirements of the situation being fully met by providing a simple stop means for the flanges operating in the manner stated.

Another object oi" my invention is to pro vide a mechanism of the character stated having pressure means for the note sheet controlled from the transmission mechanism which transmits the movement of the motor shaft to the talicaip spool in winding and connects said shaft with one of the music roll spindles "For rewinding.

Another object of my invention. is to fur- 1 nish a device of the character stated, in which the pressure on the edges of that portion of the note sheet wnpped on the talrcaip spool is relieved positively and automat cally the operation of rewinding, so that the flanges will he tree to separate as far as is required when a new roll placed in the in struincnt for playing. Pre'tcralrly. the stop means for the flanges is controlled directly from the rewind lever in the key lip. in such a manner that the flanges are tree to separate as soon as rewinding commences. This permits the paper to he pulled on to the music roll in the proper way, and the puu'ipjing of the instrument cannot a'ttect adversely the introduction of a new sheet between the flanges, nor is it necessary to await the crqpansion ot a pi'ieuniatic. or the like. het'orr such sheet can he properly placed and wound on the take-up spool.

To these and other ends. the invention coirsists in the novel features and con'ihinatious of parts to he hereinafter descrihcd and claimed.

In the accompanying drawings, Fig. l is a tront elevation of a player piano spool box or tracker box equipped with my improvements, showing the position of the parts as the winding of the note sheet on the take-up spool is commenced.

the latter. driving i1 l 1n. 2 is on end view of the device shown in llig. 1.

Fig. 3 is a bottom view, partly broken awav.

Fig. t shows the right hand end of Fig'. l on a. larger scale. the parts being in the same position.

Fig. 5 a view similar to Fig. l, showing the position of the parts after a few layers have been wound on the take-up spool.

Fig. 6 is an end view showing the parts in the position of Fig. 5.

Fig. 7 is the view similar to Fig; 5 showing the clutch lever shifted into its other position to counnencc the rewindin Figs. 8 and 9 are sections on lines 88 and 9 of Figs. 4-. and 5 respectively and Figs. 10, 11 and 12 are sections on lines l10 of Fig. l, l1-ll of Fig. and ill--12 of Fig. T respectively.

In carryii'ig out n'iy invention, the spool box in its general features can be 01 the usual construction. The 003; proper is shown at 20, and the usual tracker bar there in at 21, there being the usual music roll spindles 22, :23 for supporting the music roll above the tracker bar. Below the tracker bar is the customary take-up spool or drum 24-. having a spindle 25 iournaled in the side walls 01' the box. In the diawings T show a music roll 26 ot the usual kind positioned between the music roll spindles 22. 2.3. and carrying the perforated note sheet 2i" :Lidapted to be wound on the take-up spool.

The transmission mechanism indicated at T, by means of which the note sheet is un wound and rewound from the motor shaft. is shown applied to the right hand end of the box in the usual location. This tronsn'iission mechanism includes a rectangular tranie in which the D'lOtOl operated drive shaft 29 is journaled. The motor itself. which may be of any preferred type, is not shown. The music roll spindle 22 is adapter to be driven "from the drive s'shatt by means of sprockets 30, 51,, mountedv on the drive shatt and music roll spindle respectively, and-interconnected by a chain 82. The take-up spool. spindle 25 extends part way into the rectangular transmission frame 28 below the drive shaft. and is adapted to be driven l roin the drive shaft bv means of a pinion 13 on it is understood, off. course. that in plan ino; a piece of: music. the talremp s ool is rotated by the motor in such a dir .c ion as to pull the sheet from the TDUSl-L' roll and wind it up on the talro-up spool, while in rewinding. the driving connection between the drive shaft and the tali'e'u p spool'spindle. is released, and driving connection is made between the drive shaft and the music ro l to wind the sheet back onto said roll. To order to obtain these results. the spri :lrot 80 and pinion 33 are loose on the drive shalt,

but provision is made for clutching the sprocket to the shaft and siniultai'ieously releasing the pinion, and vice versa; and provision is also made for clutchingthe gear wheel 34 to and releasing); it from the talre up spool spindle or shaft. Tn the particular torin shown, a collar 35 is screwed to the drive shaft in fixed relation. and a collar 36 is arranged adjacent to collar in such a manner that while it is free to slide lengthwise of the shaft. it cannot turn relatively to the same. The non-rotative con.- nection between the collar 36 and the shaft is produced by providing said collar on one side with lateral pins 37, which slide freely through holes in the fined collar lVhen the collar 36 is at the extreme lettt hand end of its movement, the ends or the pins 8?. extendv into engagement with lateral pins on the sprocket 30, so that the sprocket will be rotated to drive the music roll. the opposite (right hand) side of the sliding; collar 36, the same is provided with pins 39 adapted to engage radial pins 4-0 on the hub of the pinion 33 when the sliding collar is moved to the right. as shown more particularly in Fig. 41:. The sliding collar is adapted to be actuated from a lever (not shown) in, the hey slip of the piano, by means of suitable connections. in the example shown. a lever 41 is pivoted intermediate ot its ends at T2 at the back of the transmission trains. and is connected at its lower end with operating wire 4:3, that is in turn appropriately connected with the key slip lever. The wire 43 is movable in a direction lengthwise ot the piano, and it will be seen that when the parts are in the position shown in lg. l. :1 pin ll operating in a groove li-5 of collar E36. and secured to the upper end of lever ll will hold the sliding collar or clutch member 36 in driving engagement with the pinion 33. On the other hand, when the lever ll is in the position shown in Fig. 7, the clutch member 3 is moved to the lett so as to disenw e and release the pinion 33, and said clutch member will be moved into driving engagement with the sprocket wheel 30, so that the otter will then be positively rotated by the drive sl'u The right hand nd oi": the take-up spindle or shaft 25, is fixed to a sleeve 413, rotaiably mounted in the transmission illillt? in line with an independent y rotatable sti 4'7, which serves as a mounting for wheel 34. The near wheel in QlliFlllOll is screwed to the shatt ill at 48. the right han end of said shaft beingjournalod in a part the transmission trains and the left hand end being freely journaled in the sl -e ell-3 fixed to the end of the take-up spool shalt. Provision is made for placing the gear 34: in and out of driving relationto the i spool shaft by arrane nga clut h be the said shaft and the stub shaft. Tn the Y '3. snail your l 2 ll il'orin shown. this clutch includes a sliding collar or clutch member 49 on the stub shaft, which is iixed in non-rotative relation to said shaft by pins 50, extending from the left hand side of the collar through holes in a second collar 51 screwed to the stub shaft. The sliding collar or clutch member 49 is provided with a groove engaged by a pin 53 on the clutch lever 41. When the parts are in the position shown in Fig. 4, the clutch member 49 has its pins engaged with lateral pins 54 on the end of the sleeve 46, so that the stub shaft is coupled to the take-up spool shaft, the latter being rotated by the pinion 33 and gear wheel 34. This is the playing position. lVhen the clutch lever'is in the position shown in Fig. '7, the clutch member 36 drives the sprocket wheel 30 in such a direction as to rotate the music roll to rewind the sheet thereon, the pinion 33 being then loose on the motor shaft, and the clutch member 49 being in the disengaged position, so that the take-up spool, under the upward pull of the paper, can turn independently of the gear wheel 34.

Associated with the respective end. of the take-up spool 24 are flanges or disks adapted to engage the edges of the note sheet, as the same wound up on the take-11p spool. These flanges ordisks. have hubs, fitting loor-iely on the shaft adjacent the ends of the take-up spool, so that the flanges are freely movable longitudinally of the shaft. The flanges are adapted. to hold the paper in a. proper position on the take-up spool. during the playing of the music, by

, preventing deviation, or wobl'iling of the sheet, as it winds up, but provision 18 made for preventing any great amount of pressure against the edges of the sheet, until a suificient number of layers has been wound on the take-up spool to withstand the pressure without damaging the edges of the sheet. Supposing that the sheet is of the same widtl as the length of the take-up spool proper, or slightly wider, the flanges 55 will be lightly held against the edges of the sheet during the preliminary winding by suitable means, such as elbow levers 56, 57. pivoted intermediate of their ends at 58 to the lower part of the spool box, and adapted to swing in a vertical plane. The

upp' portions of these levers havs forked parts an) embracing the shaft 25. adapted to abut against the respective hubs of the flanges to press them toward the note sheet edges, The portion below the pivot of each lever extends toward the other lever, and a pin. 60 on the end of lever 56 engages a slot 6]. in the end of lever 57. The levers are held. by gravity in the position shown in Fig. l, with the block 62 acting as a stop. Owing to the weight of the lower parts of the levers 56, 57, the flanges are normally n'essed against the edges of the sheet wit a very light pressure in'ease the paper starts to deviate from a straight line.

In order to provide means other than the weight of the levers 56, 57, for preventing further separation of the flanges when sev eral layers have been wrapped on the takeup spool, and during the remainder of the playing, I provide a stop device for the flanges, which comes into action only after several layers have been wound on the spool and then remains in an arresting position relatively to said flanges. In the example shown, the stop device comprises a rock shaft 63, journaled in blocks 64 on the bot tom. of the spool box, and having one end arranged above the junction of the levers 56, 57. This end of the rock shaft is located at about the center of the box, being the inner end of the shaft, while the other, or outer end of the shaft extends. through one of the side walls of the box beneath and in proximity to the transmission mechanism The inner end of the shaft 63 pro vided with an arm 65, which when raised to the position shown in Fig. 1, permits free movement of the flange levers, but which when lowered as shown. in Fig. 5, acts as a stop for the levers to prevent outward move ment of the flanges. On the outer end of the rock shaft is fixed an arm 66 (Fig. 6). which is connerted by a coil spring 6'? to an adjustable book 68 on a bracket 69 on the side of the box. The spring 6'7, which is adapted to be swung to one side or the other of the rock shaft axis, is aranged to hold said shaft firmly either in a position corresponding to the raised position of the arm 65, or in a position corresponding to the fully depressed position of said arm, Another arm: 70 fixed to the outer end of the rock shaftadjacent to the arm 66 and located at an angle to the arm 66, is connected at its forwardly projecting end by a screw '71. to link 72, which is in turn pivotedv by a bolt 73 to a vertically movable racl; 74, shown in detail in Figs. 10, 11 and 12. The rack 74, is adapted to move up and down in upper and lower guide clips 75. 76 located on the inner part of the transmission frame 528. A spring 77 presses the rack inwardly so that its teeth 77 tend to engage a pinion 78 fixed to the hub of the sprocket wheel 3 Above the rack teeth 77 is a clear space 79. devoid of teeth and a similar clear space 90 is lo" cated beneath the series of rack teeth.

The rack 74 is adapted to be raised and lowered to a certain extent by the movement of the clutch lever 41, so to throw the teeth 7 7 into. or out of engagement with the pinion 78. For this purpose, a controlling lever 8i. pivoted intermediate of its ends at 82 on the lower part of the transmission frame and operatively connected. with the clutch lever 41, is adapted to cooperate with limiting means in operation at a nredeten mined time.

2. The combination of spool, a sheet restraining;- means at each end of the smile movable relatively to saidspool, means for limiting the movement of said restraining" means away from the ends of the spool, and mechanical means for placing said limiting means in and out of operation.

3. The combination of a spool, a sheet restraining means at each end of the same movable relatively to said spool, means for limiting the movement of said restraining}: means away from the ends ot the spool, and means for placing said limiting means in and out o't operation at predetermined times in the winding and rewinding' oi the sheet.

4.- In sheet winding mechanism, a spool, movable flangesat the ends oi the same, means urging said flanges toward each other and ligatly against the edges of the sheet, and. means for preventing the movement of said flanges in a direction away from said spool, said last named means being movable into and out of operative position by the turning of the take-up spool.

5. In sheet winding mechanism, a spool, gravity operated pressure means at the end of the same normally pressing: lightly against the edge of the sheet on the spool, means for preventing movement of said, pressure means away from the edge of the sheet, and means for placing said preventi I means in operation positively at a predetermined time in the winding of the sheet on the spool.

6. The combination with a spool box havingmusic roll. spindles, a tracker bar, take-up spool, and a movable note sheet guiding device associated with the take-up spool, of a drive shaft, means associated with said drive shaft for winding and rewinding the sheet, and means tor limiting the movement of said sheet grinding; device actuated from. the windingand rmvirnling mechanism.

'7. The combination with a spool box having music roll spindles a tracker bar. a take-up spool, and a movable pressure device associated with the take-up spool. to guide the note sheet, of a drive shaft, means associated with said drive shaft for winding and rewindinp: the sheet, and controlling means for said movable pressure means ac tuated by the rotation of the take-up spool to prevent movement of the pressure means under the influence of the note sheet edge at a predetermined time in the winding of the sheet on the take-up spool.

8. In note sheet winding mechanism, the combination with music roll spindles, a tracker bar, a take-up spooha longitudinally movable sheet engagingflange at the end of the take-up spool. a drive shaft, and means for winding and rewinding the sheet from the drive shaft, of means controlled. by the rotation 0'1": the ta :e-up spool uni i acting on said flange for imposing; and relievingpressure at the edge oi the note sheet.

In note sheet winding mechanism, music roll spindles, a tracker bar, a. take-up spool, longitudinally movable flanges at the ends of the take-up spool, a drive shaft, transmission mechanism for winding and rewinding the sheet by the rotation of the drive shaft, and. tinny": coitrollinp; means controlled from 1': id t, ismisjon nicslianism.

10. in note sheet winding meelrmusic roll spindles, a tracl bar, a l spool, longitudinally movabl' ends of the take-up spool a q transmission mechanism for winding i and rewinding the sheet by the re 'on of the drive shaft, and flange concreting means controlled from sa d tran iission mechanism to impose a predeterm ted pressure on the edge of the sheet only at'ter several layers have been wound on the take-up spool and to relieve the pressure on the or i the sheet automatically as the sheet rewound on, the music roll.

11. In note sheet winding mechanism, music roll spindles, a tracker bar, :1 ts (e-Up spool, movable sheet guiding flanges at the ends of the take-up spool, means for pressing said flanges against the sheet edges, a drive shaft, transn ssion mechanism for winding; and rewinding the sheet by rotation of the drive shat't, and power operated means for relieving the pressure of the flanges against the sheet edges automatically on the rewinding.

12. In note sheet winding mechanism. music roll spindles, a tracker bar. ilIlIB-lll) spool, longtitinli. iali -i, movable sheet guiding; flanges on the talqwup spooi, a dri e shaft. transmission "me-banish: :ior coiniectina' the drive shaft will either the tziiz'eun spool or the iznisiiroll for win H1 or vewind'nge'. and stop means for said lziinres controlled from said transmisshm mechanism.

13. in note sheet winding:- mechanism, music roll spindles, a tracker bar, a take up spool, longitudinally movable sheet e'ni.d in; flanges on t,e take-up spool, a drive shaft, transmission mechanism ior connecting the drive shaft with the take-up spool or with the music roll for winding; or re winding, and stop means for said flanges controlled from said transmission mechanism to prevent further separation of the flanges when. several layers have been wound on the take-up spool. and to relieve the pressure of the flanges ae'a inst the note sheet when the transmission mech anism is manipulated to rewind the sheet on the music roll.

11 s. in note sheet wind i'nechanism, music roll. spindles, a tracker bar, it taken p transn'iiss'on mechanisn'i adjustable for windm or rewindm iroin the drive shaiit,

a 1-: means for arresting the outward n'iovement of the flanges. and means operable by said .osmission mechani m ior moving said ting means to an inoperative position automatically W ion the transmission mechanisn shii ed to rewinding position.

15. In note sheet Winding mechanism, music roll spindles, a tracker bar, a takeup spool, longitudinally movable flanges on the take-up spool to cooperate with the note sheet, transmission inism, and means rative positively from the tiansmission -.6. In note sheet Winding mechanism, music roll spindle a tracker bar, a takeup spool, longitudinally movable flanges on a take-1p spool to cooperate with the note sheet. a drive shaft, transmission mechanism for vineeither the take-u p spool or the music roll from said motor shaft, and a ely operated means actuated from ismission mechauisn'i For imposing 1. i L a predetermined pressure on the note sheet edges through said lane at a predetern'iined time in the winding of the sheet on the take-up spool.

17. in a device such as described, a spool, movable end flanges for said spool. levers for controlling the position oi said flanges, and mechanically controlled stop means adapted to act on said levers to prevent separation 01 the flanges.

'18. il spool having movable flanges, stop means prcvcnting the se aeration of said flanges, and mechanical means for moving said stop means slowly into operative position during the preliminary Winding and holding; it in that position during the remainder oi the winding operation.

19, n note she t windinginechaniiian, a tale-up spool, longitudinally movable sheet guiding) flanges on said spool, means tor normally pressing said flanges lightly against the edges of the note sheet, and means operable at a predetermined time in the Winding of the sheet for increasing the pressure of said flanges upon said note sheet.

20. in note sheet Winding mechanism, a tahe-up spool, longitudinally movable sheet guiding flanges on said spool, means for normally pressing said flanges lightly against the edges of the note sheet, and power operative means for increasing the pressure of said flanges upon said note sheet.

21. In a note sheet Winding mechanism, a take-up spool, and a sheet restraining; device associated therewith, said sheet restraining; device being actuated to restrain the note sheet by the turning Oil the takeup spool.

22. in a note sheet ivii'iding me ihanism, a take-up spool, and a sheet restraining device vice movab e into and out of operative position, and sl'ieet restraining device beiw moved into operative position ing of the take-up spool.

23. in a note sheet Winding mechanism, a take-up spool and a sheet restraining device associated therewith,said device being; delayed in its actioi'i, and. controlled therein by the wii'ldin 'g oil the note sheet.

24-. in combination, a tracl-zer bar, a takeup spool, a sheet restraint devi associated ther with and movable into and out operative pcsition, a note sheet, and means tor causing said note sheet to-move over the tracker bar. including a rotating shaft, said sheet restraining device being moved into operative position by the rotation thereof.

A web guiding device, including a spool operatively mounted to wind the Web thereon. a Web restraining device associated with said spool and movable into and out of operative position, and means itor winding the Web upon said spool, including a rotating shaft, said Web restraining device being nioved into o erative position by the rotation oi. the shaft.

in Witness whereof, I have hereun o set C3 by the turn- 

